Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

Doing a major overhaul on a house and just due to the way the foundation and concrete are (HO is turning attached garage into a living room) there is no way to duct off existing forced air unit into garage/LR space. I mentioned checking into a PTAC unit since it may fit the bill. HVAC guy stopped out and said yes, no problem, but I have to frame an opening in the back garage wall for the sleeve.

Having never installed one personally, and the instructions that are a bit confusing with tables and minimum clearences figured it'd be just as easy to ask you boys.

Do I install the sleeve so the inside of sleeve will be flush with the drywall when that's done? Or should I have it stick out a bit past the drywall...and if so, what's the minimum you'd recommend it sticking past interior finished wall...I want this as least intrusive into the living space as possible for obvious reasons.

Also the pictures tell me a rough opening minimum 1/4" wider and taller than the sleeve, is that plenty of room (basically 1/8" on the sides and then 1/4" on the top gap) or should a guy leave more. Destructions tell me to drill holes in the side of the sleeve and then screw through these holes into the side studs, so I'm thinking the tighter the better, but I don't want to screw up the HVAC guys when they come to install the unit/wire it up.

Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

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Re:
Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

I've only ever installed one in my life and am no expert.

I had the sleeve on hand when I framed the opening so I made sure my opening was perfectly level and square and made it just a smidge bigger than the sleeve, and I still ended up using tiny shims in the sides.

I let my sleeve stick in about 1" past the finished drywall. I was worried about just caulking around it inside. I trimmed the inside with a small shoe mold flat on the wall, painted wall color. So you may want to thing about if you are trimming the inside or not.

When I installed the sleeve, I believe I pitched it to the outside very very slightly, just to give it a little help. You couldn't even notice the angle I put on it outside.

Just don't drill through the bottom of the sleeve, it is ment to hold water if need be.

Re:
Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

I don't know what options he speced, he's my leadman at night where I work now and I told him I would give him a hand with the windows/doors/siding on a house he inherited, since I thought a quick in and out money maker deal...boy was I wrong LOL. This house is probably in my #2 slot of worst homes I've had the "privilege" of working on throughout my construction career. I think if I'd have known everything I've gotten into at this point I may have just offered friendly advice at work and stayed away.

Guess on the optimistic side, he's getting things fixed correctly even though everything/every wall has been 5 steps backwards before I can do what I needed to do in the first place. He started calling me Josh Holmes after the 3rd day since I uncover and stupidly (joking) point out the problems and fix them LOL. I know how many crews are today and honestly most of them, if he had hired this out, would've just covered it up quickly and moved on. I keep telling him after I'm done and he pays me for all this "custom" work, I'm retiring to someplace warm

Oh well, is what it is at this point and truthfully other than burning the candle at both ends and getting 5hrs sleep/day it's been fun playing with the tools again and being able to use my brain...being a machinist is fun and all too, ALOT less physical labor, but at this point in my retiring job, it's the same thing every night and ya don't get to see the fruits of your labor...machine a part and move it along- not as gratifying as trade work when you can stand back at the end of the day and literally see what you've accomplished, but pension, awesome benefits, great pay for a hourly type job, yr round /steady work inside, zero wear and tear on the body unlike trade work...glad I made the switch but still miss the trades.

Re:
Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

True, just drill into the side studs. 1/4"allowance is pretty tight. Slight slopbackwards. You might want to rough in a t-stat wire. Warning: Those units turn the electric meter pretty fast

Between what he makes working here at night and his wife's income, I don't believe an electric meter gone wild is going to be of any concern, plus he farms (hence inheriting the original family farmstead we're working on now that his grandparents had built in 79....by a fricken hack obviously)

The space is an attached garage turning into a living room so everything is exposed studs and everything will need wired anyhow since there's only 1 outlet for the garage door opener right now so chasing a thermostat wire should be easy for whomever does it. Trying to sell him on the spray foam idea since it's all open and would be easy to do, told him when's the last time propane or electric got cheaper? spend a lil more up front and reap the benefits as long as you live.

Re:
Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

Honestly I never got much into HVAC stuff with all the jobs I did, so I'm honestly pretty HVAC stupid. I mentioned a PTAC unit, he called some heating and cooling outfit in the town he currently lives in and had them come out to see what the best option would be, and they said a PTAC unit....so I would have to "assume" that they had their reasons be it costly that HO didn't want to pay for up front, or whatever...I don't know, and since I'm just helping the guy out since I work with him, I'm limited my input on the project so not to get sucked into anymore than I have to...we both left work an hour early this a.m. so got to this house at 6am, put 2 patio doors in I had framed/tyveked and ready and am just getting home from reframing 1 stupid wall on the south side of the house with no shade and 87* LOL. It's ready to put windows in come Monday morning, but he has to work tonight and they're calling for more severe rainy weather so we had to get it water tight at least...

place has been a PITA, if I was still doing this full time, the dollar signs would be adding up quickly

Re:
Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

Well, I hope things are going well with this project. In the future, if one is considering a ptac, they might as well go with a mini split. Mini splits don't cost that much more than a ptac, spin the meter slower, and have a more "hip" look.

Re:
Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashheatingand

Well, I hope things are going well with this project. In the future, if one is considering a ptac, they might as well go with a mini split. Mini splits don't cost that much more than a ptac, spin the meter slower, and have a more "hip" look.

There are exceptions, but...

I'll definitely keep a mini split in the memory bank for future reference, but like I mentioned, he had a heating/cooling company come out and survey the situation and they said Ptac unit so without having talked to them myself there must have been some sort of reason why they recommended a PTAC unit instead.

Re:
Installing PTAC Unit Sleeve

The sleeve is given to the GC to frame in. And electrician runs electric to the general location. The HVAC contractor inserts PTAC, puts cover on, plugs it in and turns it on. It runs and the HVAC contractor collects his money.

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